Thomas named KPMG International chairman

LONDON, October 2, 2017

KPMG International, a global network of professional services firms providing audit, tax and advisory services, has appointed William B Thomas, as its new chairman.

Thomas will lead the KPMG global network of professional services firms for a 4-year term, succeeding John B Veihmeyer, who is retiring after completion of his term.

He was earlier the chairman of KPMG’s Americas region and also a member of the Global Board since 2009. He has been a leader in defining the group's global strategy and is a champion in promoting an inclusive and high-performing culture throughout the network.

Thomas was CEO and senior partner of KPMG in Canada from 2009 to 2016, achieving strong growth in the market, and making strategic investments that contributed to expanding the firm’s capabilities.

In his 28 years with KPMG, Thomas had held a number of leadership roles in the Canadian firm and within KPMG International, and also served as an audit partner for prominent clients in a variety of industries.

Lauding the appointment, Abdullah Alfozan, the chairman of KPMG Middle East and South Asia, said: "It is my great pleasure to congratulate Thomas on becoming the new chairman of KPMG International, and at the same time I add my thanks to the former chairman Veihmeyer and wish him all the best for the future."

“KPMG continues working in line with the strategies of KPMG International and the appointment of Thomas will significantly enhance its reputation in the emerging markets,” he added.

The group operates in 152 countries and boasts 189,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the network are affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss entity.

On his new role, Thomas said: "I’m excited and honoured to succeed a leader I admire as much as Veihmeyer to take on the role of chairman. We have been driving innovation across all parts of our business and I intend to continue and accelerate that trend."

"I believe the transformation that will take place in business and our profession over the next five years will eclipse what we’ve experienced in the past 50 years and I’m convinced the opportunities for KPMG will be greater than ever," he added.-TradeArabia News Service